Queen of Heartless: Episode 3
by Lady Wren1
Summary: Rassia has returned to Ansem, changed for the better, to Sephiroth's dismay. However, what he desired in her might not be in her at all. What really drew Ansem's bride to his enemy, and does it still want Sephiroth? (I decided to make it Epis.3, i hope th


**Sorry for the long haitus! Surprising twist that even surprised me as I wrote it! Enjoy!!**  
  
A dark shadow rose from the traces of Rassia's visit to the edge of the dark sea. Little did Rassia know what she had left behind after her return to Ansem. She had been so occupied with thoughts and apologies that she did not even notice that her dark shape was left behind on the sand peering into the water. It stayed there, flat against rock, sand, and sea until the rose moon was directly overhead. Even as it rose higher in the sky the shadow seemed to grow until it had separated from the ground and sat kneeling in Rassia's last saddened position. Now with yellow eyes gleaming, the shadow knelt staring at nothing in the foamy waves that lapped against its black fingers.  
  
A gale from the rising falls farther out in the center of the sea swept towards the shadow rustling the ebony hair on its head. The wind startled the shadow and it gripped at the wet sand beneath it almost painfully, then relaxed as the cool air calmed.  
  
"Air...," it sighed in a voice very similar to Rassia's own. Black mist was released from its lips as it spoke the word with awe. The yellow orbs glared up into the rose moon eagerly before turning quickly to the right to behold the grove of dark trees at the base of tall sapphire and violet mountains. Something deep inside the misty forest attracted the shadow's attention and it carefully crawled a few steps in its direction, the black hem of its gown trailing loosely in the water. Then it stopped suddenly and picked itself up, floated for a moment above the ground, then landed limply on its feet. It rolled upright and flicked its hair back proudly.  
  
"Sephiroth...." The slow and whispered word left its mouth like acid and a roguish smirk curled its black lips. The shadow faced up into the sky once again, eyes closed, and sighed as color took over its body. A trickle of icy blue tumbled along each strand of its hair, its black skin lightened to a bright and smooth sorrel, but the dress, unlike the one Rassia wore herself, was as red as the rose moon when it had risen over the horizon hours ago.  
  
The shadow brought her hands to her head and smoothed back the shimmering locks as her eyes opened; golden and flickering they scanned the edge of the forest. She knew Sephiroth was somewhere in the dark thicket. Dropping her arms to her sides she looked up to the high stories of Ansem's manor with a frown, then disappeared in a haze of darkness.  
  
Sephiroth sat with his knee pulled up to his chest upon a cool flat rock overlooking a churning pond below. Swirls of mists rose to meet him and played with his silver hair as he sat taking in the metallic odor of the acidic pool. His eyes were closed and he breathed easily as he thought about Rassia. Only she could have put him in such a passive state. At the moment he was not even concerned about his missing sword. It was as if she was the key to keeping him innocent and in order, yet what he searched for in her was anything but innocent. He did not think too hard about what drew her to him and what made her deny Ansem; he knew he played a big part in controlling that. What puzzled him the most was why now he had the feelings for her that he did. To his own tongue the word "love" tasted foul, but he had declared it to Rassia with some sense of genuineness, though he never thought himself capable of it.  
  
"Lust," he would think to himself sometimes. That he knew would be easier to explain. He had no problems with enjoy Rassia's touch or kiss and welcomed it pleasingly, especially after the long suspended nightmare in the far depths of nowhere. His mind strayed to the last night in Hollow Bastion before the nightmare began, when his feelings for Rassia became strong and unclear.  
  
"She didn't kill me," he said to himself. "She wanted to keep me alive. I could not have controlled that in her." Sephiroth took in the sharp air and exhaled again. His chin rested upon his knee while his other leg dangled over the edge of the jutting rock. The mist enveloped his black boots and made them gleam.  
  
Rassia's shadow rose silently out of the rock behind the unsuspecting Sephiroth and looked down at him with the cunning yellow eyes. They shrank to the centers of each eye as to not give away her true self too quickly. Quietly she fell to her knees and leaned in closer to Sephiroth's ear. His eyes shot opened, but he continued to stare out before him.  
  
"Rassia?" he asked a bit surprised. The shadow ran her hand along his shoulder and to his chest.  
  
"Close enough," she hissed pulling herself closer, her lips brushing against his cheek. Sephiroth frowned and turned his face, but he was instantly drawn into a kiss. It stunned him at first, but he could not stay stunned for long. With the woman's lips on his he was drawn back into the bliss he had experienced with his Rassia hours ago. He gently placed his hand behind her neck and pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss with every breath.  
  
The shadow could barely hold back the excitement of the tangible kiss and crawled ever more into Sephiroth's lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck she embraced him closer until finally Sephiroth stopped and dropped his face toward the ground with a gasp.  
  
"What is wrong?" the shadow asked anxiously, her face still nuzzling Sephiroth's eagerly.  
  
"You are," he said with a smirk as his eyes looked back up toward hers. The shadow frowned, her lips resting lightly beside his ear. "You are anything but Rassia," he continued running his hand along her arm.  
  
"Not true," she said brushing her hair behind her ear and adjusting herself to a straddling position over Sephiroth. "I was Rassia. The Rassia you have wanted for so long but could never truly reach but through an petty physical form." Sephiroth faced her with a puzzled expression as she stroked his hair playfully.  
  
"I don't understand," Sephiroth admitted, still smiling.  
  
"Ansem was right. Within every heart lies Darkness, and that Darkness can either be fed and grown or doused by the light in one's heart." The shadow paused to trace her finger along Sephiroth's shoulder. Sephiroth took this time to think about her words until he thought he understood. "Rassia's heart was still very dark from her troubles with Ansem that day when you nearly killed him in the Chapel. Slowly it diminished as time went on and you were thought to be gone forever. But I survived and waited, haunting her dreams with memories of you, Sephiroth. I never gave up trying to bring you back, and I've succeeded at last!" she exclaimed happily and went in again for another kiss. Sephiroth held her shoulders back and lifted her again.  
  
"Wait. You are a Heartless?" he asked perplexed. The shadow shrugged.  
  
"More or less," she shrugged.  
  
"You are the Darkness in Rassia's heart. A shadow of her," he stated, his face thoughtful. The shadow's face fell. "That would explain your kiss. It felt cold at first...like the Darkness I floated in for so long."  
  
"You do not sound pleased," she said sadly. "I did this all for you; I cannot help what I am or how I came to feel this way. Please do not push me away because I am not completely Rassia." She hugged him close about his neck. Sephiroth could only wrap his arms around her as well. "She never loved you, Sephiroth, but I did. I tried so hard to escape to you," she sighed. She never loved you, echoed in Sephiroth's mind as his embrace toward the shadow weakened.  
  
"It has been you? All this time?" he asked slowly. The shadow nodded.  
  
"Yes. Since the first meeting the deepest places of Rassia's heart yearned for you; I yearned for you. I could not free myself from Rassia's heart as easily as I wanted to. She was strong and determined not to open her heart and let me free. She knew far too well about Ansem's studies and research, as did I." She gave another loving squeeze. "But now, Rassia is pure," she continued. "She is with child, so her heart has forgotten the Darkness and I was at last able to release myself."  
  
"With child?" Sephiroth gasped grasping hard on the shadows brown arms.  
  
"It is Ansem's," she assured him, but Sephiroth still held firm. The shadow inhaled deeply. "Why does that bother you?"  
  
"I...I do not know...," he admitted. The shadow's face softened and nuzzled his ear and hair.  
  
"My Sephiroth, I've waited so long," she whispered. Sephiroth shivered at her words. It sounded just like Rassia, saying the words he had always wanted her to say. He loosened his grip on her arms and dropped his hands to her waist. It was all exactly the same, only this mere reflection loved him, and he could feel it. She never held back with her touches or gave off any signs of regret. He pulled her closer as he lay on his back. The shadow leaned over him, her arms set on either side of him, propping her up. Her hair fell and landed on Sephiroth's chest just like Rassia's always had, and Sephiroth found himself lost and suffocated with emotions.  
  
"You will not leave me?" he said with his eyes only partially opened, staring into golden eyes. The shadow smiled and brought her lips right above his. Sephiroth could no longer keep his eyes opened as he inhaled the intoxicating invisible, black breath. The shadow stroked his silver hair lovingly as her other hand slipped into his. This alone brought her as much, if not more pleasure than the first kiss.  
  
"I am free. I will help you to be satisfied if you will me," she whispered into a long kiss.  
  
**It's a bit long, sorry, but I've missed a lot of days. Please R&R! Thanx!!** 


End file.
